Page 76 of Wingwoman
HOPE
I spentthe morning doing the one thing I never thought I’d ever have to do in my whole life: grovel to my future stepsisters.
To my surprise, they were way kinder than they should have been to me after that display last night. Tons of platitudes rolled in via text from Maryanne and Raeanne.
Maryanne:
Oh my gosh, don’t worry about it!
Raeanne:
You’re fine! We’ve all gotten drunk and said something we didn’t mean!
Maryanne:
We’re just glad you’re okay!
Only Julianne remained eerily silent. I could see on the text thread that she had seen and read them. But nothing. No response. Not even those three little dots that conveyed she was considering messaging me back.
With a deep breath, I decided to press her more. Because the truth was, I knew it wasn’t fine. I knew it couldn’t be as easy as a quick apology and all would be forgiven.
And it seemed that Julianne was perhaps the only sister able and willing to give it to me straight.
I stood up, thinking about how to respond as I stared at the bookshelf in the guest room… or rather, my bedroom for the next six weeks. Romance novels stocked the shelves. An entire row was dedicated solely to Nora Roberts, but many others adorned the shelf space.
Hope:
Thank you for that, but what I did wasn’t fine. And I would really like to find a way to apologize and make it up to, not only your mother, but to all of you. Julianne? What do you think?
I hit send even though my heart was racing. Even though I feared what she was going to say in response. Which was a pretty rare feeling to me. I didn’t often send out questions to people that I didn’t already know the answer to. Business 101.
But this wasn’t business.
As much as I didn’t want to admit, this was a family matter.
Finally, for the first time all day, those three dots appeared beside her name.
Julianne:
First off, thank you for saying that. Because you’re right. It isn’t fine.
Second… yes, you do owe her an apology. And not one over text. But the apology itself won’t mean shit without action. The best way I can think of for you to apologize to Mama is to get on board with this wedding. Come to the dress fittings. Join us for our weekly brunches. Help us plan the bridal shower. Because it’s happening with or without your blessing.
My teeth gnashed together.
I’d been down this road before. I’d done the bridesmaid thing with two of my dad’s other weddings. I’d even gotten emotionally attached to his first wife… well, second wife, after Linda Evans, I suppose. I was young and didn’t yet realize that this would be his pattern. So I donned the flower girl dress, grinned happily in all the photos, and bounced excitedly down the aisle, tossing white rose petals and thinking I’d finally have a family again. That this woman could be a mom of sorts, even if she’d neverreplacemy mom.
But it turned out Sherry was a bigger drunk than my dad was. And together, they would get wasted, night after night. Our house was more trashed than ever. She’d take off for weeks at a time to go to Atlantic City or Foxwoods Casino.
With each wedding, I became a little more jaded. A little more distant. A little less willing to see this new wife as the savior Dad and I needed to become a family once more.
With Viv, I suspected that when their marriage fell apart, it would have nothing to do with her. Because despite all the shade I’ve thrown her way and the fact we’re as different as two people can be, I can tell she’s a great person with a good heart.
A heart that I suspect my father will shatter… eventually.
Hope:
Understood. When is the next wedding event?
